Black Magic Woman
by HellKaisersAngel
Summary: Only a few short days after managing to finally leave his life behind in Atlanta, Daryl Dixon has found himself in the middle of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana where he meets a young bartender in one of the most popular music clubs. Life in the Big Easy seems innocent enough, that is, until Daryl finds that he is being haunted by it's dark past. Bethyl AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One**_

The loose pavement from the old road crunched under the tires of the motorcycle, the engine roaring in his ears as he drove along the quiet back road. He wasn't exactly sure where he was going, but he had had no destination after leaving Atlanta. He had never been out of Georgia and after everything that went down with his brother, now was his chance. It had been three days since he left and had somehow found himself driving towards Louisiana. The more he told himself there was nothing there for him, the more he found himself drawn to it. He pulled over on the side of the road to rest and stretch his legs, pushing the kickstand out on his motorcycle and sliding the helmet off.

"Damn it's hot today." he muttered as he fished his nearly crumpled pack of cigarettes out of his old worn out jeans and patted himself down for a lighter. After grumbling and swearing when he realized his lighter was lost he tucked the cigarette behind his ear and looked around at his lonely surroundings. He hadn't passed anyone in miles since he left the run down gas station manned by an old black man by the name of Jacques. He was determined to keep the wanderer around long enough to tell him of his life story, and pull out a decrepit wallet full of faded and crumpled pictures of his family, most of them either moved or deceased. After managing a full tank of gas, and a new pack of (possibly stale) cigarettes he was on his way to a destination he wasn't sure about. A movement in the water caught his attention out of the corner of his eye and he turned to see an alligator watching him intently from the gnarled roots of the large cypress trees that were slowly taking over the swamp.

"What're you lookin' at, ugly?" he asked aloud as he pulled his bandana out of his pocket, wiping dust and sweat off of his face before shoving it back into his back pocket. He pulled the worn backpack off of his back and pulled out a water bottle, taking a sip of the warmed liquid before looking over his shoulder at the sound of an engine. He squinted his eyes against the glaring sun to see an old beat up truck making its way down the road.

"Great, more locals." he grumbled and hoped they'd keep on driving past. He slung the backpack back on just as the truck slowed next to him and he sighed.

"You okay? You look a bit lost." a female voice asked from the cab and he felt his head turning quickly to look at her before he realized what he was doing. A young girl, no bigger around than a his pinky, sat behind the wheel of the truck. Golden blonde locks were piled high on her head, a wide smile flashed perfect white teeth and dark sunglasses hid her eyes from him.

"Was just out drivin' around, goin' wherever I feel like headin'." he answered and heard her giggle.

"You best be careful out here, _Cher._ Way down here in the bayou, there ain't too many nice people. Loners have had a tendency to go missin' and end up swimmin' with big ugly down there." she said and nodded towards the alligator that had slowly made it's way closer to the biker, "You ain't too far from New Orleans if that's where ya headed."

"That so?"

"Sure thing. If ya want, you can follow me till ya get there. I know these backroads get confusin'. You ain't from around here, are ya?" She asked as she tilted her glasses down to get a good look at him, revealing large baby blues that stood out against smoky makeup on her porcelain face.

"Nah, I left Atlanta bout three days or so ago an' been on the road since." he answered and turned his attention back to Big Ugly to make sure he wasn't getting any closer. _I will stab you if you come closer, you overgrown lizard._

"Three days to get here from Atlanta? Shoo, you musta been lost_._"

"I was jus' wanderin', wound up here. How long to New Orleans?"

"Bout twenty minutes. You gonna follow?" she asked as she pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. He nodded and she cranked the truck back up, "I'll make sure I don't go to fast so you can follow, but once we get into town, I gotta break off at Bourbon Street in the French Quarter." He nodded and slid his helmet back on, the motorcycle roaring to life and pulling back on to the road behind the old truck, flipping off Big Ugly and watching the gator slowly sink back under the surface of the water. He watched her stick her hand out the window of the truck as they made their way quickly towards the Big Easy, her fingers spread to feel the wind slip between them as they drove. She pulled up to a slow intersection and stuck her head out of the window, looking back at him with a smile. He pulled up next to her and watcher her puller her sunglasses back down.

"You be careful here, but have fun okay? Go on down to Madam Adelaide's for a drink sometime, ya hear? You'll be glad you did. See ya around!" she said and pulled away from him. He watched her take off and her truck slowly disappear into the busy streets.

"So this is what life is like outta Georgia?" he muttered and left the intersection, going with his gut feeling and turning to the right where the blonde's truck had gone. He looked around at the busy sidewalks full of people popping in and out of stores, restaurants, bars, and small businesses, mainly Psychic stores promising accurate readings and little Voodoo shops. In the distance he saw the rest of New Orleans in tall buildings and busy highways and had no desire to go past what he figured was the French Quarter the girl had told him about. He stopped and pulled into a parallel parking spot on a side road, hopping off of his bike and walking to on of the main roads. He looked up at the sign and felt a small smirk pull at the corner of his mouth.

"Bourbon Street." he muttered and looked down the direction he had watched the girl in the truck disappear. He tucked his helmet under his arm and started down the sidewalk, listening to the chatter of people as they passed him by. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, opening it up to see if he still had some cash tucked away. Luckily his older brother hadn't found his wallet before he was able to leave. He glanced up to read a few of the restaurant signs and finally ducked into one he could pronounce and didn't seem like it would be overpriced.

"Welcome! What can I get for ya?" a booming voice called from the counter, "We got some o' the best Po' boys 'round the Quarter."

"Uh, yeah, let's see." he said as he slid into a bar stool at the well polished wooden counter, "I'll take the Cajun Shrimp Po' Boy, and a sweet tea."

"Good choice." the overweight man said as he pulled a pen out from behind his ear and a notepad out of his apron, "You passin' through, son?"

"Yeah, jus' wanderin' and wound up here." the biker answered as the man went to the kitchen window and clipped his ticket to a line.

"Name's Marcus and I'm the owner of this busy lil' diner." he said and outstretched a rough, calloused hand from many years of hard labor.

"Daryl Dixon." the biker answered and saw the man's bright green eyes light up.

"Georgia, right?" Marcus asked as grabbed a plastic glass with the Pepsi logo on the side, filling it with chipped ice and walking over to a few pitchers of tea by the drink station behind the counter. He grabbed up a nearly empty pitcher to fill Daryl's glass and set it down in front of him with an unopened straw.

"You can tell?" he asked before taking a sip and welcoming the sweet, ice cold liquid as it soothed his throat. _So much better than water out of my backpack._

"I hear your accent around here a lot. Lotta visitors come in from Georgia, seein' as it ain't too far from here." Daryl smirked and nodded, running his fingers through his shaggy brown hair that was almost plastered to his head from his helmet.

"Born and raised right outside of Atlanta." Daryl answered and heard the bell above the diner door jingle, Marcus throwing his hand up in a wave at the customers who were leaving with full stomachs and smiles on their faces.

"I've been to Atlanta only a handful of times, and I didn't mind it. But here, New Orleans, this my home." His accent was a thick Cajun accent and Daryl sometimes couldn't pick up on certain words and had to rely on context clues to figure out what the man was saying, "I wouldn't trade livin' here for the world." At that moment they heard a bell from the kitchen window and Marcus turned around, grabbing a plate with an overstuffed sandwich and a small bag of potato chips, setting it down in front of Daryl who felt his stomach growl hard at the smell. He picked up the sandwich, his mouth practically drooling and took a large bite.

"Good, eh?" Marcus asked with a smile and Daryl nodded as he chewed his mouthful before taking another bite without a word, "Made the recipe for the fried shrimp batter myself and it's been a hit."

"I can see why. Do you know anythin' 'bout Madam Adelaide's?"

"Oh yeah! That's a popular bar! Adelaide's, well, she sure is somethin'! A woman after my own heart, ya hear! You goin' tonight?"

"I might. A girl told me about it today, pretty little blonde."

"That mus' be Miz Greene. She been there for a few years now. Pretty lil' blonde indeed with a heart of gold. You should go, they got live music in there every night, good prices on drinks, and you ain't gonna be bored when you there. I might be headin' there after I close up tonight if I can get outta here in time."

"Guess I'll see you there." Daryl said with a smirk and popped his bag of chips open.

* * *

Music filled the busy street and Daryl looked around at all of the restaurants, bars, and music clubs slammed with people. He kept reading the brightly lit signs, finally seeing the building he was looking for. 'Madam Adelaide's' was burned into a large piece of old wood, decorated with what looked like hand painted flowers along the rough edges. He pushed himself inside, looking up at the front of the club where a jazz band was in full swing. He managed to find his way to the bar through the tight throng of people drinking, dancing, conversing and laughing amongst each other. An older dark skinned woman was behind the bar, her well endowed chest nearly hanging out of her bright magenta shirt, a mess of gold and jewels around her neck. Her hair, in long dreads decorated with wooden and glass beads, was gathered in a high ponytail and revealed large gold hoops in her ears, the other piercings in them decorated in tiny jewels. She smiled a bright, dazzling white smile and laughed at something on of the customers said, her laugh deep and warm.

"There you are, _Cher_! I was hopin' you'd show up!" He turned to see the blonde from the old truck coming up from the back room, a box of shot glasses in her hands and a smile from ear to ear. Her hair had been removed from atop her head and lay in large soft waves down her back, her eyes still outlined in the dark smoky makeup. Her white shirt hung off of her shoulders and showed warm, softly tanned skin that glowed under the soft lighting of the bar, a single silver chain around her neck. The pendant dipped low and hid behind the hem of the shirt and he was curious to see what it was.

"I heard some good things about this place from a sandwich shop down the road, figured I'd come take a look!" he answered over the music and chatter.

"First one's on me!" she said and walked to the other side of the bar, Daryl watching her hips swing in her low-rise faded blue jeans as she fetched a frosty mug from a small freezer tucked away in the corner, "You got a chance to wander around the Quarter yet?"

"Yeah a bit, pretty busy!"

"I love it here! But you gotta be careful, remember?"

"Ah, I ain't worried about nobody hurtin' me!" he answered and she giggled before setting the mug in front of him. He grabbed it and took a large swig from it, welcoming it quicker than he had the tea.

"It ain't jus' the people you gotta worry 'bout, Cher!" she said as she leaned over the counter towards him with a little smirk on her small painted lips, her large blue eyes narrowing a bit, "There's spirits out here that wander, good an' bad. You'll get really hurt if ya ain't careful. So as long as you're here make sure you mind what you get yourself into. Some of the things that have happened 'round the bayou are dark, real dark, and they still happenin'."

"Like what?" he asked and she stood straight, flipping her hair over her shoulder and propping a hand on her small hip.

"You'll see an' hear soon enough. But do enjoy yourself, I'd like to see you back in here." she said with a smile and a wink before a customer got her attention, a young college boy who she flashed a smile at when he asked for another beer. Daryl smirked, bringing his glass back up to his lips as he looked around.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

"What's your name, cher?" she asked as she picked up a shot glass and dried it out, setting it on the counter next to her before grabbing the next.

"Daryl." he answered as he sat across the bar from her, watching her she worked.

"Jus' Daryl?"

"Dixon." he answered as the front door opened and Marcus walked into the now empty bar with four white take-out boxes in his hands and a smile a mile wide as Adelaide came out of the back room with her arms outstretched.

"Cher! I'm so glad you came!" she called as she hurried up to him.

"Well Daryl Dixon, it's nice to meet ya again. I'm Elizabeth Greene, Beth for short." she said as she pulled out a stack of napkins from under the counter as Marcus made his way to the bar and set the boxes down, "How long you stayin' in The Big Easy?"

"Not sure yet, ain't really made any plans." he answered as Adelaide passed a bar stool over the counter to Beth so she could sit down, Marcus sliding two boxes down to her and Daryl. He handed her one and popped the lid of his, a large greasy cheeseburger and a side of seasoned fries welcoming his gaze and making his stomach growl.

"Marcus, my dear, you are killin' my diet." Beth said with a grin as she emptied a ketchup packet next to the fries and one one her burger, "But I thank you very much for this food, I was starvin'."

"You're welcome, Mizz Greene. I had a good feelin' our newcomer would be here." Marcus said with a nod towards Daryl who was chewing on a bite of burger and a couple of fries, "Mizz Adelaide, how you been since I last saw ya?"

"So where ya stayin', Mr. Dixon?" Beth asked as she dipped her fry in her mound of ketchup and glanced up at him.

"Where's the closest, cheapest hotel?" he asked and she smiled softly, "You can jus' call me Daryl."

"Alright, Daryl. I can show you the way if you wanna follow." she said and reached for a bottle of water behind the bar, offering him one. He took it and set his burger down, grabbing a napkin and wiping grease and mustard out of his goatee.

"Mizz Greene, you gonna go down to the levee tonight with the rest of your group?" Marcus asked with a grin, Adelaide reaching over and smacking the top of his hand.

"No she will not, Beth dear you know it ain't safe down there with all them Shadow People. You gonna get yourself hurt." Adelaide said and Daryl looked over at Beth who looked surprised.

"I never said I was going, you don' have to worry 'bout me." She said with a reassuring smile, "I wouldn't put myself in that kind of danger. Shadow People ain't nothin' to mess 'round with."

"Shadow People?" Daryl asked with a raised eyebrow, "You believe in that kinda stuff?"

"Everyone down here believes in that kind of stuff. You're in The Big Easy, remember? Ghosts, demons, spirits, Shadow People. They all hang around here. You're surrounded by them and you don't even know it." Beth said and stood, tossing her Styrofoam container in the trash and moving out from behind the bar, "You ready, Daryl?" He nodded and stood, Beth tossing his trash for him and waving goodbye to Adelaide and Marcus as they headed out the door into the hot, muggy night air.

"So is everyone afraid of Casper in this town?" Daryl asked as they walked slowly down the sidewalk, watching the bars and night clubs empty for the remainder of the night.

"You ain't gonna find much of Casper in this town, _Cher. _There's dark, dark things here so you need to be careful what you do, where you go and especially at what time of day. Night time is more dangerous." she said as her phone started ringing, Beth apologizing as she reached into her back pocket and pulled it out, "Hello?"

"Hi!" Daryl heard a high pitched voice shout from the other end and smiled in amusement as Beth pulled the phone away from her ear with a wince.

"Hey, Marie dear."

"Are you comin' with us tonight?"

"I already told you, the levee ain't safe at night."

"It's gonna be a big group though, we'll be fine. Nothing's gonna happen, Greene."

"Maybe next time, Marie. You guys go have fun, but be safe okay?"

"Alright, party pooper." Marie said with a chuckle and Beth smiled, saying her goodbyes and hanging up her phone.

"So you really do believe in those Shadow People?" Daryl asked as they turned a street corner and headed towards a small parking lot.

"Of course. They're dangerous."

"Aren't they just...shadows?"

"It's hard to explain."

"One of those, you'd have to seen them to understand?"

"Yes and trust me, you don't want to see them. But it's not just the Shadow People that I'm worried about. The levees are near the Lower 9th Ward and it's not just creepy, but also very dangerous if you have no business being there." she answered as they stepped into the parking lot and towards her truck. Daryl stopped and reached over, touching her arm and stopping her when he noticed a figure hidden in the shadows leaning against the hood of her truck.

"I'll handle this." Daryl said and Beth giggled, pointing at the police cruiser sitting next to her truck.

"It's okay, Daryl, he won't hurt you." she said and hurried forward, the figure pushing himself up from the truck and walking towards her, "Hey, Zach! I didn't know you were going to be here!" He held his arms open and embraced her, kissing her forehead as he watched Daryl approaching them with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"And this guy is who?" he asked and Beth stepped back, taking his hand and pulling him forward.

"Zach, this is Daryl. Daryl, this is my boyfriend Zach." she said and Daryl nodded, holding a hand out. Zach nodded and took his hand in a firm grasp, giving it a quick shake before placing that hand on Beth's lower back and standing up straight. His badge reflected the light of a nearby street lamp and he placed his other hand on his hip near his holstered gun.

"You new around here?" Zach asked.

* * *

"So she's not coming?" one of the guys asked as Marie hung up her phone and shook her head, her dark brown curls shaking.

"I think she's too scared. Oh well, we'll just have to have some fun without her. Come on, Jason, let's go catch up with the others." she said and grabbed his hand, hurrying after their group of friends that had already made it to the levee.

"This is just like the good ole days back in high school and college, huh?" one of the guys in the group said as they made their way to them, another girl opening a small cooler and pulling out two bottles of beer. Jason and Marie welcomed the cold beer with grins and popped the lids off in a hurry.

"I can't believe it's been so long since we got the group together. Wish Beth could have made it." Marie said before taking a long sip of her ice cold beer and sighing with relief, "Damn it's hot tonight, that feels amazing."

"She's all worried about Shadow People, but there's seven of us here, I think we're pretty safe." the girl with the cooler said and handed out a few more bottles.

"Tyler! You idiot what are you doing!" Jason hissed as he set his bottle down and pulled back his long dirty blonde hair into a low ponytail, watching his friend try to climb the cement wall.

"I wanna get up higher so I can have a better look of the neighborhood! Who knows, there could be a Rougarou nearby and it'll be my only chance to see one!"

"Why the hell would you want to see something like that?" Cooler girl asked and he grinned as he pulled himself to the top of the wall.

"You know, there's not much of a difference up here." Tyler said as he looked around, then back at the water the levee was blocking, "Now that looks creepy. Anyone wanna go out there and look with me?"

"And risk falling off and drowning? Get down here, stupid. Your beer's getting' warm." Jason said and walked up to the wall.

"Yeah, yeah." Tyler said and turned to face Jason, his foot slipping on the concrete and he let out a small cry as he started to fall.

"Shit!" Marie shouted as the group hurried forward, Tyler laughing as he regained his balance and stood straight again, "Get down before you break your neck! No one wants to call 911 tonight."

"Okay, calm down." he said and bent down, placing his hands on the edge of the wall and jumping back down. He landed with a soft thud and reached out, taking his beer from Jason before looked around, "Guys? Where's Katie?"

"She was sitting on the cooler a second ago." Marie said and they all turned, looking at where she had once been. The cooler was overturned, ice and bottles spilled out on the grass and one of her pink glittery flip flops was laying next to it.

"Katie? Katie! This isn't funny!" Marie called out and squinted her eyes to try and see through the dark.

"Katie!" Jason called out, as did one of the other girls in their group, "I don't see her or hear her." At that moment a loud, piercing scream ripped through the night silence and turned their blood into ice, "Call 911." He looked around at all of the friends, frozen in place and not making a move for their phones, "Someone do it! Call 911! Katie!"

* * *

"Yeah, I'm just passing through though. Dunno how long I'll be in town." Daryl answered as he looked from Beth to Zach, shoving his hands back into his pockets and taking a half step back.

"I hope you get to stay for a little while and enjoy it here though. As dark as it can be, it's just as beautiful also. I'll take you to your bike and then you can follow me, okay? I'll show you where a nice, but still decently priced hotel is." Beth offered. Zach started to open his mouth and say something when he heard his radio in his car going off. He excused himself, sliding into his car and pulling the door almost shut.

"You sure your boyfriend ain't gonna mind?" he asked with a nod towards the cruiser.

"Zach will be fine."

"You are a little too trusting." he said and Beth turned to look up at him, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow, "You just met me about twelve hours ago, and you want me to climb in your truck with you?"

"You wanna walk alone?" she asked with a grin and he felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, "There's something about you, Daryl Dixon, and it's not dangerous. I have a feeling you're a lot nicer than you're letting yourself seem to be. And don't worry. If I feel threatened, I can take care of myself."

"Beth I gotta go." Zach said as he hurried up to her, "I got called to the Lower 9th Ward out at the levee." he said and saw her face drop and her body tense.

"What happened?" she asked sternly and Daryl watched as she reached up and clasped the chain around her delicate neck.

"Go on home, Beth, everything will be okay." Zach urged and reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear but she was quick to step back.

"Zach. My friends went out there tonight. What. Happened."

"I got a call for a 10-57." he answered and she raised an eyebrow, "That's a missing person, Beth. Someone called in, said they looked away for a second and when they looked back their friend was gone. The said they called out for her but she didn't answer, then they heard a loud scream."

"I'm going with you."

"No, Beth, no you're not. The Lower 9th is too dangerous. Go home, I'll come by after okay? I promise. Take Daryl to his bike, then go home. I'll send a cruiser by to check on your house and make sure you get there safely okay?"

"Please...please tell me what you find out, okay?"

"I'll tell you everything I can." he said and placed a soft kiss on her lips, looking up at Daryl and giving him a slight nod, "See ya around. Have a good night."

"You too." Daryl answered and watched as Zach hurried to his cruiser, cranking the car and rushing out of the parking lot, "You don't have to take me anywhere, if you wanna go home go ahead." Daryl said and Beth shook her head.

"No. No, come on, I'll take you." she said quietly and dug her keys out of her pocket, "We don't need a second person going missing."

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update, everyone! My life has been very hectic and stressful lately, and if I wasn't working I was sleeping or trying to sort out personal issues. This is a little short, but I hope it's okay and you guys enjoy. Thank you, lovelies! **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

"Daryl, cher, what are you doin' here so early?" Adelaide asked after unlocking the bar's doors and letting him inside out of the rain.

"I wanted to stop by, see how Beth's doin' after last night. She here?" he asked as Adelaide relocked the doors and led him to the bar.

"Zach you're not listenin' to me!" he heard a muffled yell from the stock room and looked up at Adelaide who pressed her lips together in a tight line and nodded slightly.

"They been in there a while now, he showed up to see how she was doin' and that's when this all started." Daryl accepted the water bottle she handed to him and took a small sip from it, thanking her when she handed him a small bowl of pretzels.

"It's not these 'Shadow People' you are going on and on about, Beth! A girl was abducted and we're trying to figure out who!"

"Who the hell would be stupid enough to just kidnap someone so boldly right there with five or six other people around! No one! That's who! No one is that quiet! No one is that sneaky!"

"Dammit Beth, do you honestly think I believe in all of that crap!"

"You're in the wrong damn town to be a skeptic!"

"I'm sorry you're upset about your friend being gone but that's no excuse to go spouting all of this stupid mumbo jumbo shit and all of this voodoo and ghost crap! This is a serious case and I don't have time for this hocus pocus child's crap!"

"I think you're lunch break is almost over, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I do. I'll see you later, Beth." Adelaide and Daryl turned their attention away from the stock room door just as it swung open, Zach storming out.

"See ya later, Officer." Adelaide said as she moved to the door and flipped the lock, Zach nodding towards her and throwing his hand up at Daryl before stomping out the door, "Well then, that was eventful." Daryl looked towards the stock room and stood, pushing his bar stool back up to the counter and walking towards the door.

"Beth?" he asked softly as he slowly pushed the door open, seeing her with her back to him as she grabbed a box of new glasses.

"Oh! Daryl I didn't know you were comin' by today!" she said as she turned around with a smile, "What's up?"

"I wanted to see how you were doin' after last night." he answered and reached out, taking the box from her. She smiled and brushed dust from the box off of her faded gray tank top, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear that had fallen from the clip holding her hair back.

"Still sad about what happened, but I'm okay. Thank you for asking." she said and grabbed a second box from a different shelf, reaching up and hitting the light switch with her elbow.

"Are you okay after...that?" he asked and nodded towards the front door, Beth scowling and looking down at the case of beer she held.

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine. Just pissed off." she answered and walked past him, setting the box down on the bar. Daryl did the same and pulled out his pocket knife, cutting the cases open for Beth as she hopped up on to the top of the bar, spinning around on her bottom and hopping off on the other side. She straightened out the black exercise capris she wore and started taking the bottles Daryl was handing her to stock for the evening.

"Beth, my dear, you supposed to be off tonight, don't ya remember?" Adelaide asked with a grin as she stood at the end of the bar cleaning bar stools.

"I know, I just needed to occupy myself for a bit. I'll be outta your hair before you know it." Beth said and gave her boss a wide smile, "Shall I call Marcus and put in an order for lunch? I could go for a Cajun Chicken Wrap."

"Sounds like a good idea, my dear. You already know what I like." Adelaide said as a knock sounded from the door, Adelaide turning around and smiling at the young man who stood on the other side, "You finally here, boy! Was getting' worried 'bout ya! Can't run a busy night without my cook!"

"Daryl you want somethin'?" Beth asked as she pulled out her phone.

"Nah, I gotta worry bout paying the hotel room tonight." Daryl said and Beth reached under the bar, shuffling around until she pulled out a menu and slid it to him.

"My treat if you'll walk with me to get it." she offered and saw Daryl glance down at the menu, placing his hand on it and pushing it back to her.

"Ain't gonna put you out of money like that for me."

"Oh Daryl please. It's sandwiches. And damn good ones at that."

"It's fine, Beth I'll get something later." he said and she flipped the menu over to look at it.

"Well at lunch I usually have the Cajun Chicken Wrap. The burgers are to die for, and his Po' Boys, they make me drool jus' thinkin' about them. Best in the Quarter."

"I'll be fine."

"And don't even get me started on his sweet tea. Best sweet tea I have ever had, and perfect on hot days like this. As a matter of fact, I may change my order to a cheeseburger and extra crispy fries."

"Beth."

"Yes?" she asked with a grin as she looked up from the menu and saw the defeated expression he had.

"I'll take a shrimp Po' Boy." he said and she chuckled, dialing Marcus' number and placing her phone to her ear. After double checking with Adelaide for her order, and getting the bar's cook's order, she tied up her call with Marcus and wrote down everyone's total.

"Beth let me get you my money before you leave right quick!" Adelaide shouted from the service window at the kitchen as Beth walked to the storage room to grab her purse, "Here, Daryl." He walked around behind the bar, taking the money she held out the window and gave her a small smile and nod when she thanked him.

"You ready?" Beth asked as she popped out of the storage room, taking the money Daryl held out to her and pocketing it.

"We're going now? You just called it in."

"Marcus and his team are fast, and plus, it'll give us time for a casual walk and maybe you can get a better look around the Quarter." she said as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder, giving Adelaide a quick goodbye as she headed through the door, Daryl following right behind.

"So who's that guy?" the cook asked as he drug out the ingredients for batter.

"Hopefully the guy that Beth will break up with Zach for." Adelaide muttered and heard her cook snort with laughter.

"You keep on hopin', don't ya?"

"Don't like that man much. Dirty cop is what he is." she added as she looked around the kitchen, "Well, let's get our little menu settled for tonight before you start preppin'."

* * *

"You's here a little early!" Marcus called from the counter as the bell jingled above the door, Beth waving as she made her way in with Daryl on her heels.

"I know but it is so pretty outside, we enjoyed the walk." Beth said as they slid onto two bar stools, Marcus handing them two complimentary glasses of sweet tea.

"Daryl, how ya doin'? You decided how long you gonna stick around?"

"For now, until my money starts to run low."

"You need a job?" Marcus asked and Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

"I mean, it wouldn't hurt. Especially if I decide to stick around for a while. Hotel room ain't cheap after a while."

"You plannin' on livin' in a hotel room?" Marcus asked and Daryl nodded.

"Ain't got nothin' else but my bike."

"You a handy man?" Daryl raised an eyebrow at Marcus, glancing over at Beth who only shrugged in reply, "Cuz I got a small place down in the Lower 9th Ward that needs to be fixed up some. Been workin' on it since Katrina damn near wiped it out on me. You help me fix it up, you can live there, and I'll keep the rent cheap."

"That's a good offer and as soon as I got a job to pay rent, I'll let ya know."

"Ain't done yet, son. One of my kitchen staff left for college this year. Got a spot open on my payroll if ya want it." Daryl chewed on the end of his straw, looking up from his glass and at Marcus who had a grin from ear to ear.

"I ain't gotta a plan on stayin' in New Orleans though, I was just plannin' on driftin' through." Daryl said and Beth sighed as she picked up her glass.

"Listen, cher, why don't you make some money and have your own house why you think about it." Beth said and gave him a wink when he looked over at her, "Whatcha say, cher?"

"Yeah, I mean I guess. I ain't too great in the kitchen, tend to get in the way."

"No worries I'll have ya trained. Come in tomorrow afternoon, we'll take care of paper work and get your schedule worked out."

"Look at that, you got housing plans and a job all in one day." Beth said with a grin as the bell in the kitchen window dinged and two plastic bags appeared. Marcus walked over and grabbed the bags and the ticket, placing the bags in front of Daryl and Beth and ringing up the orders.

"Alright you two, you go on and have yourselves a good day. Daryl, be here 'round two o' clock, ya hear?"

"Will do. Thanks, Marcus."

"Ain't no problem." he said and Daryl grabbed the bags off of the counter, pushing through the still crowded restaurant and out the door with Beth.

"I'm starvin', I can't wait to get back to the bar and eat. How 'bout you?"

"Yeah I'm pretty hungry myself. So, you think I'm gonna do a good job at Marcus' diner?" he asked and she looked up at him, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Of course, you'll do great. I'm excited that he's offering his place for rent to ya too."

"Yeah, I need out of that hotel soon. Gonna go broke payin' for a room every night."

"Why don't you let me ask Adelaide if you can stay in the small apartment above the bar? That way you won't clean out your wallet before you get your first paycheck."

"Beth?"

"Yeah?"

"Why're you bein' so helpful? You don't even know me."

"Because there's something about you that interests me, cher." she said as the bar came in to view, "And I know I don't know you very well, but if you'd let me, I'd love to know you. You don't give yourself much credit."

"I don't open up easily."

"I'm a patient person, Mr. Dixon."

* * *

Beth glanced over at her side table as her phone lit up for the third time in a row, the device rattling against the glass and causing her to roll her eyes when she saw the name flash across the screen.

"Give it a rest, Zach. I'm not in the mood to talk tonight." she huffed as she reached over and hit ignore, turning her television up and pulling one of her couch pillows into her lap. She pulled the sleeves to her sweater down and over her hands, crossing her arms over the pillow and focusing on the screen. The images on the screen flashed before her eyes, one of her favorite movies was on, but she barely paid attention to it. Her phone began vibrating again and she let out a huff, blowing a loose lock of hair out of her face as she snatched it up.

"What?" she snapped after placing the cold screen to her ear, hearing the faint sound of a radio in the background.

"Beth, come on, talk to me. You've been ignoring my calls all night." Zach begged on the other end and she felt her fist clench.

"I don't feel like talking tonight, Zach. I'm tired and I want to go to bed." she answered as she turned her television volume down slightly, Goodnight."

"Beth, wait! Please, I' min your driveway. Just let me in and we'll talk. I'm sorry I fought with you today, okay? It's just, you and I have very different views about that cra...stuff." he corrected, Beth feeling her temper flare up slightly.

"Go home, Zachary."

"Beth, please?" he begged softly and Beth closed her eyes, pinching the spot on her nose between her eyes as she tried to fight off an oncoming headache.

"Will you quit pestering me if I say yes?"

"Yes, Beth."

"Fine." she muttered and stood, tossing her phone onto the couch and walking towards her door. She pulled the end of her over-sized dark gray sweater over her pink panty-clad bottom. She opened the door, Zach standing underneath the porch light with his hands shoved in the pockets of his favorite old worn out shorts.

"Hey." he said softly, reaching up and running his fingers through his scruffy, muddy brown hair.

"Hey." she answered and watched his eyes look down at her bare legs briefly.

"Can I come in?" he asked and she shrugged, stepping to the side and holding the door open for him. He passed through the threshold, closing the door behind himself and flipping the lock, "I'm sorry, Bethy."

"I know you are." she said and tucked a lock of hair that fell from her messy bun back behind her ear.

"You look pretty tonight." he said and she looked down at the old sweater then back up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"If you say so." she murmured and he stepped forward, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her towards him, "Zach."

"I do say so." he said softly and brought his head down, letting his lips brush against her own and tightening his hold on her, "You look very pretty." His words were whispered against her lips and felt a slight pang of irritation with him. He placed her chin in his hand and tilted her head to place his lips against hers, backing her up against the wall and nipping her lower lip. She reached up to place her hands against his chest and push him back but when his lips covered hers again and deepened the kiss, she found herself tightening her grip on his shirt and holding him against her. His hands slid down her waist and around to her backside, slipping under her sweater and grabbing on to her bottom firmly.

"You still want to go to bed?" he murmured against her lips as he brought a hand around and cupped her, pushing her panties to the side and slipping a finger between her slick folds. She let out a soft whimper and gripped tighter, feeling her knees shake slightly as she bit her bottom lip.

"Y-yes. With y-you." she whispered and pressed down against his hand. He smirked and gave her another kiss, wrapping his arms underneath her butt and lifting her up. He smiled when her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"I'm goin' to show you how sorry I am." he promised as he carried her down the hall towards the master bedroom.

* * *

Daryl looked up at the night sky as he walked slowly back to the hotel, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"_I'm a patient person, Mr. Dixon." _

He smirked and stopped, pulling his pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He lit up and took a long drag, looking around at the Quarter as he exhaled the smoke. He was starting to like it here which surprised him. He hated crowds, hated people, hated cities in general. He'd rather be off on his own back home near Atlanta. Home included his brother and right now, he had no desire to be near him. Son of a bitch was going to get the both of them killed one day over his stupid addictions.

"Young man." he heard an old raspy voice say and turned around, a nearly toothless old woman giving him a smile, "You look a bit troubled there."

"What? No, I'm fine. Am I in your way?"

"No, no boy you're fine. You jus' have an interestin'...aura about yourself. It...intrigues me."

"Okay?" Daryl asked, trying to take a slight step back but she reached out and grabbed his hand in her old unsteady ones. Her cold fingers turned his palm upwards and she clasped his hand in between hers.

"You is interestin' indeed, Daryl."

"How do you know my name?" he asked, his body stiffening as he watched her, her eyes closed as she held on to his hand as tight as she could manage.

"I know things...I see things. You need to be careful, and make sure you stay guarded. Here," she said and reached up, placing a fingertip to his forehead, "And here." She placed her palm against his chest over his heart, "Be careful, Daryl. That Mizz Beth Greene you a talkin' too, she gon' get you in a fine mess you ain't on guard."

"I'll...keep that in mind...thanks." he said and slowly slid his hands out of hers.

"You go on and have a good night now, boy. Take her advice about here. You don't know what you gon' find here." She smiled and chuckled, turning around and hobbling down the sidewalk. Daryl looked down at his cigarette and flicked off the ashes, placing it between his lips and taking another drag.

This city was strange as hell.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

"Morning sunshine." the welcoming voice said on the other end of the line, Beth smiling as she stirred her coffee, tapping the small spoon on the side before tossing it into the sink.

"Morning, Maggie. I miss you." she said groggily as she walked to her small two person table, sitting down and crossing her bare legs.

"I miss you too, sis. Glenn and I will come visit as soon as we get the chance. You still have that spare room?"

"I'll put your name on the door as soon as you give me a date." Beth answered before taking a small, cautious sip of her coffee and smiling at her sister's laugh on the other end, "Zach and I made up."

"Elizabeth."

"I know, Maggie. You don't have to say it."

"All you two do is fight."

"Here we go anyways."

"Beth. You _know _it's true. I don't understand what you see in that guy, all you do is call me up about what he did wrong, how mad you are at him, how you don't know why the two of you are even together."

"I know, Maggie. I say those things when I'm mad."

"You say them a lot, Beth, which means you are mad way more than you should be."

"Maggie...please."

"Fine, fine. So you two made up?"

"Yes, he came by and well, he started kissing me and -."

"Spare me the gory details." Maggie said and Beth scowled as she placed her mug back to her lips. She set her mug back down and reached up, releasing her messy golden locks from the bun she held them in and felt her hair brush against her bare back. She straightened the strap to her red satin bra and pushed it back onto her shoulder that was dotted with small bites and bruises. She smirked and stood to stretch her stiff back and legs before walking to her kitchen window and looking out at the quiet neighborhood.

"Beth? Do me a favor and just take care of yourself, okay?" Maggie asked from the other end, Beth leaning against the counter and smiling.

"I promise." she said as her phone started beeping. She pulled it back and giggled softly before placing the phone to her ear, "Maggie I'll talk to you later. Daryl is calling."

"Daryl? Who is that?"

"A new friend I made. Fill ya in later, okay? Love ya, Mags."

"Love you too, Bethy."

"Hey, Cher. How you doin' today?" Beth asked after switching lines, smiling when she heard his m\motorcycle on the other end come to life.

"I'm gonna go meet Marcus to look at that house. You wanna come with us?" he shouted over the roar of the engine. Beth dumped her cool coffee down the drain and left her cup in the sink, filling it with water to soak before walking towards her bedroom.

"Sure thing. Text me the address an' I'll meet you there, okay?" She said before he agreed, saying their goodbyes and hanging up. She grabbed an old pair of ripped blue jean shorts that lay on crumpled on the floor at the end of her bed and a loose black tank top. She hurried down the hallway with her keys hanging from her mouth as she pulled her shorts up. She stopped in front of the door and slid the tank top on before pocketing her phone and house keys.

* * *

Zach ran his fingers through his thick hair and sighed in irritation as the hot Louisiana sun beat down on him. He wiped the sweat off of his brow with the back of his arm and looked back at the deli where his partner was supposed to be getting them lunch. He told him to call it in, told him that Marcus' deli would be slammed but the rookie swore he could get their lunch with no problem.

Definitely a rookie. He grumbled and leaned back against the patrol car as he watched the people of the French Quarter pass by.

"Zach? Is that you?" a voice asked and he looked to his left. A pretty little petite girl had her sunglasses pushed up into her mane of curly brown hair as she moved closer to him.

"Hey, you're Beth's friend, right? Mary?"

"Marie." she replied with a hint of annoyance and adjusted her purse straps on her shoulder.

"Sorry, I've never been great with names. This heat ain't helpin' a bit." he said and she gave him a small smile, "What can I help you with, Marie?"

"Have you found anything on Katie yet? Anythin' at all?"

"I'm sorry but I haven't."

"Oh, Zach it was horrible! She just disappeared like, like a ghost!" she cried and brought her hand up to her face to wipe away a small tear at the corner of her eye. Zach reached through the open window of the cruiser and grabbed a napkin laying in the seat. He handed it to the young woman and she flashed him a small smile, thanking him and dabbing at her eyes.

"I really am sorry about the loss of your friend Marie but we are doing the best we can."

"I just don't feel safe at night, you know? Sometimes it's like a can hear things outside of my window at night. Living alone never bothered me before, but now, what if whatever or whoever took Katie is coming after all of us?"

"I don't think you have that to worry about, Marie. I think you're gonna be okay."

"You don't hear the things I do at night, Zach. Oh it's so lonely." she whimpered as she straightened out the white sundress she was wearing, the gentle breeze flirting with the hem and brushing it against her long tan legs.

"Here." he said and grabbed another napkin and a pen, jotting down something and handing it to Marie, "This is my cell number. If you feel like something is wrong or if you feel unsafe, don't hesitate to give me a call. I'll come down and check things out for you, okay?"

"Oh Zach, you are too kind. Beth is a lucky girl to have someone so kind like you." she said as she slid the napkin into her purse, "I must really be going now. Thank you."

"You're welcome." he answered with a grin and a nod, Marie sliding her sunglasses back on and giving him a wide toothy grin.

"She's also lucky to have someone as handsome as you." She reached up and patted his cheek before walking away, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she headed down the sidewalk on Bourbon Street. He smirked and leaned back against the car, crossing his arms over his chest before catching himself sneaking another glance at Marie before she disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

"This place is gon' need a whole lotta work." Marcus said as he led the way into the small house, Daryl kicking a board with mangled nails protruding out of it out of the way before Beth followed him in. She twisted her nose up and coughed at the smell of mold and dirt, Daryl looking back and giving her an amused grin.

"I think that's an understatement." Beth said and walked past the two men who stood in the broken down living room. She walked into the kitchen and stifled a squeal at the sight of a decomposing rat in the middle of the broken tiled floor. She covered her mouth as she suppressed a gag and stepped over it.

"This place is a disaster." she heard Daryl say from the living room and giggled softly, walking to where a scratched up dining table sat, two chairs laying on the floor next to it. She narrowed her eyes as she examined the scratches along the dark surface, seeing three deep, long linear marks right in the center. She reached down and brushed off some of the dust to get a better look and jumped when she heard a rustle behind her. She whirled around looked around the dirty kitchen, seeing nothing in the room with her. She turned back to the scratches and leaned down to look at them before one of the cabinet doors creaked and slammed shut.

"Beth, you okay?" Marcus called from down the hall, Beth looking around the room again and back at the table.

"Y-yeah I'm fine! Just bumped into something!" she called before she turned to leave the room, stopping and staring at the spot where the rat was.

Or, where it _had _been to be exact. The rat was gone and all that remained was a small streak on the floor of decomposed remains. She hurried out of the room and stopped in the hall, composing herself before walking towards the master bedroom where Daryl and Marcus and moved to.

"Kitchen is a disaster." she said as she walked into the room and Marcus grinned.

"Had a few break ins while the house has been unoccupied, I'm not surprised. Mainly homeless looking for a place to get out of the rain. But now that we're gonna be working on it, it should be fine." Marcus said and Daryl nodded.

"Well, it's gonna be a lot of work, but I'll help ya out." Daryl said and the older man grinned.

"I'll have some of my guys out here whenever you're ready to get started and they'll help ya out. Let's go on back to the diner and we'll sign some papers and get you employed then too."

"Sounds like a plan. C'mon Beth." Daryl said and nudged her elbow, walking with her out of the room and down towards the front door, "Whatdya think?"

"It has potential." she answered with a grin, "Gives me the creeps right now."

"Same here. It'll be better once it's cleaned up." Daryl answered as Marcus walked outside, Daryl and Beth stopping to look back at the mess.

"_Go..."_

"What?" Daryl asked and looked back at Beth who shrugged her shoulders in confusion.

"What?"

"I thought you said somethin'."

"No, not me." she said and he shrugged and stepped back so she could walk out the door first. He gave the house one more glance before closing the door and hurrying down the porch steps after Marcus and Beth.

* * *

"Thank you for picking up dinner, I'm starving." Beth said as Zach unlocked her front door and reached in to flip on the lights.

"No problem at all. Grab us some forks and I'll pop in the movie." he said, Beth slipping her shoes off and hanging her keys up by the front door. She nodded and he leaned down, giving her a quick kiss before walking over to the television. Beth walked into her kitchen and flipped her light on, moving to the drawer by the sink and reaching in for silverware. As she turned to walk out a coffee ring in the sink caught her attention and she stopped. The mug she had sat in the sink that morning was gone.

"Zach!" she called and looked away from the sink, her kitchen table catching her attention out of the corner of her eye.

"Yeah babe?"

"Did you come by my house today?" she asked as the coffee cup decorated with kittens and sunflowers sat in her spot on the table top.

"No, why?" He asked before the ads from the movie they rented started up and she shook her head.

"No reason, thought I had misplaced something." she said and flipped off her light, walking into the livingroom where Zach was setting their food up on the coffee table. She sat down and handed him a fork, picking up the tv remote and placing it between them.

"You got beer in the fridge?" he asked and she nodded as she took a bite of her sesame chicken, "I'm gonna grab one. You want one?"

"Yes please. Will you do me a favor and put the cup on the table in the sink for me so I can wash it?"

"Sure thing." he said as he stood and patted her knee, walking into the kitchen and flipping the light on, "What cup, Beth?"

"My kitten cup!" she called after him as she heard her fridge open.

"It's already in the sink!"

"Are you sure?" she asked as she put her fork down and swallowed hard.

"I'm looking at it right now!" Beth sighed and looked around at the small living room, feeling the skin on her arms and the back of her neck crawl as she felt a cold chill sweep over her, "I forgot my phone in the car. I'll be right back." he said and sat the opened beers down on the table. He swung her door open and made a sound of disgust, Beth jumping up and hurrying over to him.

"What's wrong?"

"Your neighbors get a cat or somethin'?"

"Not that I know of, why?" she asked and peered around his shoulder, her heart plummeting into her stomach as her face paled. There, lying on her pretty little welcoming mat decorated with flowers and paw prints was the ugly decomposing rat, still covered in dust from Marcus' house.

* * *

_**A/N: I'm so so sorry for taking so long to update everyone! I've been so busy taking care of my mother, she spent ten days in the hospital and her cancer is really getting her down. I'm basically her main caretaker so I haven't had much time or energy to write. Hopefully now that she is home I'll have a little more time. I love you all, and thank you for reading! Any reviews you could leave will be much appreciated! Let me know what you think!** _


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